Metamaterials: electromagnetic enhancement at zero-index transition

Resonant enhancement of electromagnetic waves propagating at oblique incidence in metamaterials, with dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability linearly changing from positive to negative values, has been predicted and theoretically studied. This effect occurs for both TE and TM polarizations near the point where a refractive index changes its sign. Our model elucidates the unique features of the resonant enhancement in positive-to-negative transition metamaterials for a broad frequency range from microwaves to optics. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America